- Title: 'A once in a life time opportunity', says tourist visiting La Palma volcano
- Date: 9th October 2021
- Summary: LA PALMA, SPAIN (OCTOBER 9, 2021) (REUTERS) PEOPLE OBSERVING VOLCANO ERUPTING VARIOUS OF PEOPLE TAKING PICTURES OF VOLCANO SMOKE RISING FROM CUMBRE VIEJA VOLCANO PEOPLE TAKING PICTURES OF VOLCANO (SOUNDBITE) (English) BRITISH CITIZEN SARAH (SURNAME NOT GIVEN), LIVING IN LANZAROTE WHO TRAVELLED TO LA PALMA TO SEE THE VOLCANO WITH HER PARTNER, SAYING: "We live on Lanzarote and we came across because it was quite easy to get across when we saw the volcano was erupting. It is a once in a life time opportunity to see something like this and we just thought it worth make the journey. So we got the ferry across in our van and here we are to look at everything, it's absolutely fantastic. It's very sad seeing the lava going down here because it looks like it might, it's destroying quite a lot more houses. But still, it's good to see the natural beauty of this side of things as well." VARIOUS OF FRENCH TOURISTS TAKING SELFIE WITH VOLCANO IN THE BACKGROUND (SOUNDBITE) (French) UNIDENTIFIED FRENCH CITIZEN TRAVELLING WITH HUSBAND FROM TENERIFE TO SEE THE VOLCANO ON THEIR WAY TO AFRICA SAYING: "It is incredible, there is lot of noise, it is the power and the beauty of the volcano." TOURISTS OBSERVING VOLCANO SMOKE RISING FROM VOLCANO VARIOUS OF PEOPLE OBSERVING VOLCANO MAN TAKING PICTURE OF WOMAN WITH VOLCANO IN THE BACKGROUND MAN TAKING PICTURE OF VOLCANO WOMAN TAKING PICTURE OF VOLCANO (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) RESIDENT OF LA GOMERA ISLAND, ANTONIO PADRON, WHO TRAVELLED TO LA PALMA TO HELP A FRIEND WHOSE HOUSE WAS AFFECTED BY LAVA, SAYING: "I came from La Gomera to help a friend clean their land from volcanic ashes - it is located in an affected area - I am quite surprised by the images, from watching it on television to watching it here is spectacular, but at the same time you enjoy the beauty of the nature and you feel the drama of population There are mixed feelings." (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) DOCTOR LIVING IN TENERIFE, FERNANDO ARMA, WHO TRAVELLED TO LA PALMA TO HELP FAMILY, SAYING: "I am from Tenerife, my partner and I have come here to La Palma, his family is from here, to greet the family and see how they are, as some of them have been affected by the volcano. And besides, to see the volcano because it is an opportunity to see a phenomenon like this." VARIOUS OF PEOPLE OBSERVING VOLCANO SMOKE RISING FROM LAVA PEOPLE OBSERVING VOLCANO / SMOKE RISING FROM VOLCANO MAN OBSERVING VOLCANO WITH BINOCULARS MAN WATCHING VOLCANO
- Embargoed: 23rd October 2021 17:12
- Keywords: Cumbre Vieja La Palma Spain eruption reaction tourism tourists volcano
- Location: LA PALMA, SPAIN
- City: LA PALMA, SPAIN
- Country: Spain
- Topics: Disaster/Accidents,Europe,Earthquakes/Volcanoes/Tsunami
- Reuters ID: LVA001EYFSD3B
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Spanish and international tourists visited La Palma on Saturday (October 9) to witness the eruption of Cumbre Vieja volcano.
"It is a once in a life time opportunity to see something like this," said Sarah, who is originally from Britain but travelled from Lanzarote to watch the volcano.
"It's very sad seeing the lava going down here because it looks like..it's destroying quite a lot more houses. But still, it's good to see the natural beauty..as well," she said as people gathered nearby to take photographs of the volcano.
The magma, streaming down the hillside of Cumbre Vieja, destroyed at least four village buildings, some of nearly 1,150 buildings, and surrounding land since the volcano began erupting on September 19.
Lava has engulfed 493 hectares (1,218 acres) of land, Miguel Angel Morcuende, technical director of the Canary Islands Volcanic Emergency Plan (Pevolca) organization said.
Some were visiting La Palma on Saturday to help family and friends affected by the eruption, but could not help but be in awe at the mighty scene.
"Watching it here is spectacular, but at the same time you..feel the drama of population. There are mixed feelings," Antonio Padron said, who came from the nearby island of La Gomera to help a friend clean up land.
About 6,000 people have been evacuated from their homes on La Palma, which has about 83,000 inhabitants.
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